Forecasting Violent Storms - A New Science

at siag gagi research scientists create products which enrich the quality of Our Lives products to increase our food supply dyes and pigments which surround us with color Pharmaceuticals to improve our Health Products which reaffirm the value Val of science to mankind as part of its continuing program in support of Science Education CBA gagi is pleased to present this issue of the science screen [Music] report the science screen report bringing you each month the latest developments in science engineering and Medicine made to help solve the problems of modern life [Applause] [Music] despite all our Science and Technology man Still Remains vulnerable to the forces of nature in particular to those resulting from extremes of weather today today scientists of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration the National Space Agency and other groups are probing the mysteries of severe storms their goal predicting and controlling or lessening the effects of these destructive weather events [Music] from Earth orbit the pattern of weather events hundreds of kilometers wide may become clear the most devastating severe storms however are the thunderstorms and tornadoes only kilometers wide still largely unpredictable they remain Nature's most violent and a awesome wind storms weather scientists in Many Lands are now working to better understand such severe storms this team of experts is part of one such severe storms research program currently carrying out studies in North America each year during extreme weather periods they pinpoint potential storm centers then go out to film and observe them close up [Music] three planes will carry out this Mission a single engine one leads the way a twin engine aircraft will make measurements at medium [Music] altitudes and a jet will investigate the highest levels of the storm clouds or storm cells up to 30 km above the ground the three planes with the scientists aboard seek to surround and record the key elements of the developing Tempest the single engine aircraft monitors the cloud bottoms about a kilometer above the ground the twin engine airplane takes readings at altitudes of about 5 km the swirling top of the storm and is monitored by the Jet Plane crew the mission coordinator rides aboard the jet his goal to find patterns of storm forces so to improve prediction methods for example disturbances typified by flat Cloud tops strong winds and shifts in temperatures seem caused by distinct wind inflows Cloud lines and moving temperature fronts images from space help confirm the findings thunderstorms which come on too strongly or at the wrong times may cause particular hardships in farming regions key storm forces seem associated with the curved Cloud lines surrounding the Storm Center another scientist records another clue the collapse of cloud tops during the birth of a storm photographs taken aboard the jet at brief intervals are made into a time-lapse film to help correlate satellite images with other data collected by the aircraft still more facts are being gathered by radar stations which are scanning the storm radar images for instance can reveal storm rotation rates and patterns the birth of a wind funnel can also be discovered by Advanced radar techniques special instruments aboard the flying Laboratories relate the frequency and intensity of lightning Strokes to other storm characteristics such as hail and extreme winds as with any scientific phenomenon an understanding of severe storms depends in part on collecting enough data at the right times and places in the weeks and months that follow this data will be studied sifted and compared with findings from other nations the ultimate purpose to better predict manage and perhaps someday lessen the effects of these destructive weather events [Music] severe storms are also under study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at their Norman Oklahoma laboratory intensive field observations are made each spring the severe storm [Music] season a storm probe Mission day begins with radioone balloons the instrumented balloons radio back data on winds temperatures and moisture the raw ingredients of killer [Music] storms two new Doppler radar units can map moisture and air motion within the storm systems where their coverage overlaps they provide a three-dimensional record of wind and water changes in the Thundercloud the team of scientists at Norman coordinates all data and acts as storm Chase control [Music] north of Oklahoma City a TV tower 500 M High holds instruments that gather data on the Storm Corridor while aircraft like this one carry data taking equipment Into the Storm environment the electricity in the storm is also monitored as a lightning stroke occurs each branch emits a burst of radio frequency energy these antennas are used to map each lightning stroke's Origins and extent as the storm intensifies intercept teams in camera equipped Vans deploy to record it Guided by radio the stormchasers Converge on the Tempest to capture Its Behavior on film these daring missions have made fascinating portraits of storm Behavior such tornadoes occur worldwide tornado winds reaching 200 to 300 mph much research focuses on providing earlier tornado warnings and so more time to find [Music] shelter project Ruff Rider an instrumented Phantom jet Mission penetrates and Records turbulence in and around the [Music] storms ground controllers guide the jet to its goal Ruff Rider helped write the book on how to fly around such storms it's now investigating ways to deal with low-level wind shear sudden violent close to the ground winds which are a major cause of crashes Ruff Rider probes wind sheer by flying into gust fronts the bands of wind which spread out ahead of the advancing [Music] storm after Gathering data during the severe storm season April and May the new findings are analyzed comp shoters Tap Out Maps draw rainfall Contours and plot air streams finding new patterns of data which are the basis of new knowledge and new technology This research has already led to such advances as the new more precise digitized radar which permits the viewers to observe storm intensity and rainfall with greater accuracy most recently the new doler radar shows wind circulation patterns in great detail such Doppler radar maps storm intensities by the strength of signal Echoes reflected from water droplets winds carrying droplets towards the antenna are shown in red winds carrying droplets away from the antenna are shown in blue patches of red and blue side by side indicate areas of opposing winds or wind shear warmer colors indicate higher Echo intensities that is faster moving [Music] winds as the storm matures the reflectivity display employing conventional radar shows winds intens ifying the storm system on the left 100 km away and 5 km High exhibits conditions which could produce a tornado the display now shows a massive storm system on the Doppler velocity display shearing winds indicated by adjacent blue and red areas suggest a possible tornado mesocyclone the 6 km wide rotary circulation from which 100 m met tornado develops via the multim moment display this mesocyclone appears as a field of arrows Arrow directions indicate directions of winds Arrow lengths indicate wind speeds a task faced by meteorologists is the transfer of this new high technology to The Familiar Weather Services as a test during several storm Seasons the experimental Doppler radar was used in a joint agency project to provide storm warnings to local weather offices the Doppler radar evaluation team found they could detect tornado mesocyclones up to 30 minutes before spotter teams in the field reported developing storm funnels [Music] on the average Doppler radar was found to add 10 minutes of warning a precious gift in a situation where seconds can save lives currently the new Doppler radar is being tested for use in air traffic control as well as for forecasting thunderstorms that cause flash floods it's been said that severe storms are like wild animals to best deal with one you must know what drives it and how it responds to natural and manmade constraints these ongoing studies are another step towards understanding such storms science screen report has been produced by siba gagi Corporation with headquarters in Arsley New York as part of its continuing program in support of Science Education [Music]